Big Island driver killed when car crashes, catches fire

KONA, BIG ISLAND, HI (HawaiiNewsNow) – A 77-year-old Kona woman was killed Thursday on the Big Island after a multi-vehicle crash caused one of the cars to catch on fire.

Kona patrol officers say the woman was operating a 2011 Hyundai multi-purpose vehicle and traveling south on Route 190 when she rear-ended a 2006 Toyota four-door sedan being operated by a 34-year-old Waikoloa man.

The Hyundai continued south and sideswiped a 1999 Jeep multi-purpose vehicle traveling north which was being operated by a 42-year-old woman from Kailua-Kona.

Debris from the crash also damaged a 1998 Mazda pick-up truck also traveling north and being operated by a 51-year-old Kailua-Kona man.

The Hyundai continued south on Route 190, struck a stop sign at the intersection of Route 180, ran off the left side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned in the parking lot of an old nursery which is just south of the Route 190 and Route 180 intersection.

The Hyundai then caught on fire with the 77-year-old Kona woman trapped inside.

The drivers of the other vehicles were not injured.

The woman was taken to Kona Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 7:09 p.m.

Her name is being withheld pending positive identification.

Police are investigating whether the woman suffered from a medical condition prior to the crash. Copyright 2012 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

In 2015, the Federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing states to limit the amount of time that students take standardized tests. A similar bill is traveling through the Hawaii legislature.

In 2015, the Federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing states to limit the amount of time that students take standardized tests. A similar bill is traveling through the Hawaii legislature.